Shutdown Update: Obama, Reid Offer to Talk

Here's the latest shutdown news: President Obama has called everyone to the White House to talk things over, and Harry Reid has sent a letter to John Boehner suggesting a "sensible, reasonable compromise." Reid says that although he deeply opposed the Iraq War, he never threatened to shut down the government over it, and likewise shutdown shouldn't be on the table over Republican opposition to Obamacare. So his offer is to go ahead and pass a clean CR, and then he'll agree to a conference committee to discuss "the important fiscal issues facing our nation."

That is indeed sensible and reasonable. It's also something that Democrats have been willing to do for months. Republicans have resolutely refused, so it's not clear what would change their minds at this point. But I guess we'll see.